AGENDA NEWS
Students get the Oscar treatment Students from the University of Derby have been blazing a trail for equality in the film industry, working with Academy Award- winning film director John Stephenson and female trio Remember Monday on their new music video. With females taking several key roles,
the students worked on the video for the UK pop-country trio, made up of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele. The band appeared on The Voice in 2019, went viral on TikTok singing in empty car parks during lockdown and supported Billy Joel at his concert in Hyde Park last year. The University of Derby’s film production programme leader Tom Craig enlisted the support of Stephenson – who is widely recognised for his work on films like Babe , The English Patient , Five Children and It plus Interlude in Prague – to direct the video on location at Longford Hall Farm in Derbyshire. Craig said: “The band’s commitment to female empowerment is a central theme in their music. In line with this, they specifically requested strong female representation in the crew.” Women are still under-represented in several areas of the film industry according to San Diego State University’s annual report, which finds that women comprised only 22% of directors, writers, producers, editors and cinematographers on the top 250 grossing films of 2023, with just 16% working as directors.
reminding me of the raw passion that drives the filmmaking process. It’s certainly invigorating to see such talent and dedication in the next generation of talented filmmakers.”
Stephenson further elaborated: “The shoot was a refreshing and inspiring experience. The students’ creativity, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives brought a unique energy to the project,
BLINKING GREAT DEAL!
Sound specialist Saramonic has upgraded the popular Blink500 B2 wireless audio kit with the Blink500 B2+, costing just £129/$129 for a twin-mic kit that comes with a single receiver, all in the charging case. Featuring USB-C, lightning connector, 3.5mm TRS and TRRS connectors, it fits with most cameras and smart devices. Using the single receiver, the device can feed the signal to two recording devices at the same time – ideal for streaming on two platforms or capturing backup recordings. Battery life is also improved; the
system can now record for up to 20 hours, while the charging case provides one full cycle of recharge to extend the time up to a whopping 40 hours. The Blink500 B2+ microphone system comes with a two-level noise reduction function and low-cut filter. There is also a selectable Mono, Stereo, and Safety Track output. saramonicuk.com
The MGW Diamond-H 4K HDMI encoder is the latest HEVC encoder and decoder, offering smooth integration and power over Ethernet support to eliminate the need for extra power sources. The Diamond-H is a portable 4K HDMI unit which can encode up to four channels from two HDMI inputs and also has HDMI loop through connectivity. It is ideal for broadcast, education and sports venues as it meets the growing demand for 4K video encoding, while delivering low-latency delivery of high-quality video in an efficient, compact form-factor. vitec.com A POLISHED DIAMOND PERFORMER
10
PRO MOVIEMAKER
Powered by FlippingBook